French duo Zaccharie Risacher
and Alex Sarr have been selected as the top overall picks in the
2024 NBA Draft on Wednesday at the Barclays Center in
Brooklyn.
Risacher, a 6-foot-10 wing out
of France who played for French pro league team JL Bourg, has been
selected first overall by the Atlanta Hawks.
Sarr, a 7’1 forward/center out
of France who last played for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL in
Australia, goes second overall to the Washington
Wizards.
ANALYSIS: This is the second
straight year that a player from France has been selected first
overall in the NBA Draft after the San Antonio Spurs selected
eventual Rookie of the Year winner Victor Wembanyama last year.
This is also the first time a country outside the US has players
picked No. 1 in back-to-back years (Canada in 2013 and 2014 with
Anthony Bennett and Andrew Wiggins).
Furthermore, with yet another
French player picked in the top 6 in Tidjane Salaun going to the
Charlotte Hornets, this likely signals a new French revolution era
in the NBA with more and more players from France getting picked in
the lottery and being significant contributors and building blocks
in respective NBA teams.
